Based on Ed Boon, John Tobias, and John Vogel’s 1992 video game of the same name, Mortal Kombat tells the story of the universe's greatest fighters in a battle of strength and wit. When the earth realm is threatened to be invaded (and potentially destroyed) by Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) and the other beings from the Outerworld, earth’s greatest fighters must come together. They are tasked with saving earth and all that live in it; but can this motley crew of individuals actually come together and save anything, or will the earth realm fall for good?
Full disclosure, the Mortal Kombat video game, and the world’s fascination with it, has always baffled me. I have never been able to understand why, time and time again, people gravitate to this game or find much to appreciate about it; however, I understand that these things are a reality and that the games have found massive success since their inception almost thirty years ago. While there have been other film adaptations of the video game, this particular adaptation of Mortal Kombat seems to adhere to the video games better than before. While this is wonderful for fans of the game franchise, for just about everyone else, it fails to entertain for a number of reasons.
Much of Mortal Kombat is based on blood and gore, and for years that has appealed to viewers. The reality of the matter is that regardless of its place in the video game, it’s incredibly overdone throughout the course of the film. Nearly every second of the film is over-exaggerated, and as each and every action sequence plays out, the blood and gore appears juvenile and unnecessary.
Those action sequences are also part of the issue. In a film that is based almost entirely on fighting, those moments should be the most well prepared, well executed, and entertaining aspects of the film. Like the rest of Mortal Kombat, however, the action scenes disappoint tremendously. The entirety of the stunt department, including stunt doubles, choreographers, and coordinators, drop the veritable ball and help to deliver scenes of intense failure and impeccably dull action. Every fight plays out the same way: over choreographed and aesthetically unappealing. I couldn’t help but cringe at the underwhelming nature of every aspect of the choreography and laugh a little as the ridiculousness plays out.
The underwhelming nature of the film travels into the acting as well, turning Mortal Kombat on its axis in unappealing ways and never allowing it to level itself. Actors such as Tadanobu Asano (Lord Raiden) and Mehcad Brooks (Jax) have done well throughout the course of their careers, finding success in just about everything they have done. The reality of what they actually bring to the table throughout Mortal Kombat is quite disappointing, however. They fail to entertain and often come off as less-than-genuine through the delivery of their lines. The majority of the cast, aside from Hiroyuki Sanada (Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion), are relatively unknown throughout Hollywood and fall into the career-crushing category of many that have come before them: what should have been their breakout roles only hurts their stock, likely finding them struggling in the future to find roles of significance. The saving grace of this cringey cast is Sanada. Sanada is credited in more than one hundred works, ranging from massive blockbusters such as Avengers: Endgame to lesser-known Japanese films like Bôkensha kamikaze. His range is incredible and he never fails to disappoint; he brings his expertise to the table in this struggling film and provides a glimmer of hope to all those who dared to sit through Mortal Kombat. Had Sanada played a larger role in the film, it’s possible that viewers may be able to overlook some of its many shortcomings and focus on his acting prowess; sadly this is not the case.
I had been warned prior to viewing Mortal Kombat that the plot would be somewhat of a disappointment and that if I were to expect any sort of substance from the storyline I would be terribly disappointed. Interestingly enough, this aspect of the film is one that I am able to get on board with. The story is fast-paced and energetic, finding ways to grip viewers and allow the film, in its entirety, the ability to feel shorter than it actually is (thank God). The idea of good versus evil and defending the world from certain destruction is something that moviegoers have been able to appreciate since the inception of cinema, and Mortal Kombat plays on that ideal very well.
The reality of this video game-based film is that it will not appeal to everyone. As a matter of fact, I believe that it will only truly appeal to a very particular audience: those who have enjoyed the video games. Writers Greg Russo, Dave Callaham, and Oren Uziel, along with director Simon McQuoid understand what this game franchise means to everyone who has played them, and they know how to appeal to that group. What this cast and crew do wonderfully is capitalizing on the nostalgia of its viewers, and this is the one truly brilliant aspect of Mortal Kombat. If you’ve never played the games, or don’t appreciate them, then this rendition of its story is certainly not for you. As a lover of film I found myself disappointed, underwhelmed, cringing at the film, almost in its entirety. For those of you that have grown up loving the game or are new to cinema, Mortal Kombat has the potential to shine brightly in your eyes and find a place in your heart.
Directed by Simon McQuoid.
Written by Greg Russo, Dave Callaham, Oren Uziel, etc.
Starring Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Joe Taslim, Mehcad Brooks, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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